Speaking of birds, and also etymology

[conuly]

I have long since found it interesting that the word robin comes from the given name Robin. If you google the etymology you'll get the note that previously the birds were sometimes called "Robert". I guess it makes sense not to call those little English birds by their full given name when they're so cute and the nickname is right there! But if things had gone just a little differently we might be referring to "Berts" or "Hobbies".

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Comments

[redsixwing]

"Hobbies" is an absolutely adorable nickname. (Isn't there a falcon called a hobby-?)

Locally, the little red-breasted bouncing things got nicknamed "bobbins" due to a slip of the tongue many years ago. "I saw a bobbin" thus gets confusing in a sewing session. ;)

Very nice link roundup. The pictures of Shanghai are so interesting.

[thekumquat]

Indeed there is the hobby falcon.

Which in turn gave its name (Subbuteo Subbuteo) to the table football game, because it's a hobby, innit?

[redsixwing]

Today I learned!

That's rather sweet. Thank you :)

[adafrog]

Interesting.